MORE MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS
Success in the drug game always comes with a price. If you think hustling is a
glamorous profession, check out the fate of these legendary American gangsters
before you try to become the next Scarface.
BIRTH
PLACE

NAME
Leroy
Antonio
“Nicky”
Barnes
Frank
Lucas

Rayful
Edmond
III

Kenneth
“Supreme”
McGriff

Larry
Hoover

“Freeway”
Ricky Ross

BIRTH
DATE

CLAim to FAME

DRUG(s)
OF
CHOICE

SALES

current
Status

Harlem, NY

10/15/1933

Portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.
in American Gangster (2007);
dubbed “Mr. Untouchable” by The
New York Times

Heroin

Net worth estimated at several
million dollars
at height of his
career

Sentenced to a life sentence
in prison, turned states
evidence and was released
in 2003; currently lives in the
Witness Protection Program.

Born in
LaGrange,
NC; resided in
Harlem, NY

10/9/1930

Portrayed by Denzel Washington
in American Gangster (2007);
allegedly smuggled heroin
from Vietnam in coffins of dead
soldiers; known for his “Blue
Magic” heroin

Heroin

Estimated gross
of $1 million
a day

Sentenced to 70 years in
prison in 1976; turned states
evidence and was released
in 1981 on parole; convicted
again in 1981 and released
in 1991.

Washington, D.C. 11/26/1964

Credited with helping make D.C.
the ‘80s murder capital of the
world; American Gangster BET
documentary; rumored to have
sold drugs to D.C.’s mayor

Heroin

Estimated $70
million dollars
monthly

Arrested in 1989; sentenced
to life in prison; received an
additional 30 years for conducting drug business from a
Federal prison phone; became
a government informant to secure his mother’s release from
prison and a reduced sentence;
currently a part of the Witness
Protection Program

New York, NY

Formed a crack distribution
organization in Queens, NY called
“Supreme Team”; some claim the
characters Nino Brown in New
Jack City and Majestic in Get Rich
or Die Tryin’ are based on him; allegedly had a hand in the murder
of Jam Master Jay and the 50 Cent
shooting

Crack-Cocaine

Estimated
$200,000 daily at
peak in 1987

Served 7 years in prison and
released on parole in 1994;
served another 2 ½ years
for violating parole and
released in 1997; Sentenced
to life in prison in 2007 for
conspiracy to commit murder
and drug dealing

In 1998, sentenced to six life
terms, seven terms of 20 years,
three four-year terms, and one
five-year term, with all sentences running concurrently in
addition to the 150-200-year
sentence he received for his
1973 murder conviction

Born in Troup,
TX; resided in
Los Angeles, CA

Ross’s career was emphasized in
Crack-Cocaine
The Last White Hope where he was
noted as the biggest crack dealer
in American history; name adopted
by Philadelphia rapper Freeway
and Miami’s Rick Ross [Ed.’s note: Rick

Estimated gross
of $1 million a
day (“on a good
day”)

Sentenced to life in prison in
1996 after trying to purchase
more than 100 kilograms of
cocaine from a federal agent

9/19/1959

unknown

Ross denied this in last year’s drug issue]

Alberto
“Alpo”
Martinez
Demetrius
“Big Meech”
Flenory

Howard
“Pappy”
Mason

Harlem, NY

unknown

Depicted by Cam’Ron in the film
Paid in Full; rose to power in the
80s alongside teenage friends
Rich Porter and Azie Faison

Crack-Cocaine

Estimated $1 million per month at
the height of his
career

Currently serving a life
sentence for 14 homicides
including the murder of Rich
Porter

Detroit, MI

1969

Co-founded the drug enterprise
Black Mafia Family along with
his brother Terry. BMF appeared
in Hip Hop DVD magazines,
had billboards towering over
Atlanta proclaiming “the world
is BMF’s;” affiliated with rappers
like Fabolous and Young Jeezy

Cocaine,
Crack-Cocaine

Exact amount unknown, estimated
over $270 million

Sentenced to 30 years in
prison on December 5, 2007
for multiple counts of charges
including running a criminal
enterprise and conspiracy to
launder monetary instruments; also fined $270 million
dollars.

Estimated
$100,000 per
week at the
height of his
career

Serving a life sentence for
federal charges including the
murder of a police officer. In
1990 his mother sentenced
to a ten year prison term
for drug trafficking. She was
released in 1998.